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Item Environmental impact assessment : for the removal of seagrass beach replenishment activities in Herathera Island Resort, Addu atoll, Maldives(2010-09) CDE ConsultingThe Herathera Island has been experiencing seaweed overgrowth for a number of years, even before construction began on the island. Similarly, the island does not have a natural beach system which is suitable for a resort product. An attempt was made in 2007 and 2008 to remedy these shortcomings by removing seagrass and undertaking beach replenishment. Unfortunately, the beach replenishment design and implementation was flawed and new seagrass colonies have started to emerge. The island is currently is a worse condition, particularly its beach system. These environmental issues are decreasing the economic value of the tourism product being offered Resort and is reaching a point where the product may be unviable. Immediate action is required to address these issues, thus, a new and improved beach replenishment and seagrass removal programme. The proposed project involves the removal of sea grass colonies and beach replenishment. Details of the proposed project components are outlined below. a) Sea grass removal The primary component of the project is seagrass removal. Seagrass areas covering approximately 200,000 – 250,000 m2 is proposed to be cleared (see Site plan in Appendix B), 100,000 m3 of dredge waste. TwoEIA for the proposed Seagrass Removal and Beach Replenishment Activities in Herathera Island Resort Prepared by: CDE Consultancy Page| ix methods have been proposed for the project: 1) using a sand pump; 2) using an excavator and; 3) soft measures. b) Beach Replenishment Beach replenishment has been considered as part of the project to mitigate the severe erosion on the island. The dredged waste from the sea grass removal activity, after cleaning and sorting, will be used to replenish the a 2900 m beach up to 10 m from the existing shore line. Additional sand will be dredged from borrow areas within the lagoon using sand pumps and excavators. Replenishment will be carried out using a three staged process. The first stage will collect and filter sediments on designated sites. The second stage will transfer the cleaned sediments to severe erosion zones using trucks. The final stage will profile the beach using fine sand. For the direct replenishment, sand will be pumped or transferred via barges to a designated location, where loaders and trucks and move the material.Item Environment impact assessment for the proposed construction of Island Waste Management Centre at Maabaidhoo, Laamu Atoll(2017-10) CDE ConsultingThe purpose of this document is to fulfil the requirements to get necessary environmental clearance from the Environmental Protection Agency to construct the Island Waste Management Centre (IWMC) in Maabaidhoo, Laamu Atoll. The proponent of this project is United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) The contractor for this project is Uni Maldives Private Limited. The main rationale for the project is to establish a sustainable waste management system in the island so that the waste is disposed and managed properly. The project is intended at constructing an island level waste management centre, with a compost ground and machineries and equipment to collect and to manage the waste. This project forms part of Low Emission and Climate Resilient Development (LECReD), a United Nations joint programme which seeks to mainstream LECReD issues into local development planning and service delivery for greater community-level ownership and sustainability of programme benefits. The proposed project involves the construction of the waste management centre. The IWMC will have a compost pit, waste segregation lots, equipment room, toilet, rainwater tank. This will be implemented as part of this project. The proposed IWMC will measure 89ft by 83ft and will be built at southern tip of the island. The proposed centre will be developed to manage the waste generated in the island and to ensure proper and sustainable disposal of waste. The waste management centre will also composting tools, compacting machineries to manage the waste. A truck of 1.5 tonnes and bins will be provided for waste collection. The duration of the construction of IWMC will take approximately 3 months. Once constructed, it will be handed over to the council for operation. The island community previously disposed waste at different locations of the island and the waste is not segregated. Following the efforts during the mangrove conservation project, all waste is now disposed to the location designated to build the IWMC under this project. All project activities will be in conformance to the laws and regulations of the Maldives, and relevant international conventions that Maldives is party to. The key laws and regulations applicable to this project are: Environmental Protection and Preservation Act, Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation 2012 and Waste Management Regulations and Maldivian Land Act and Decentralisation Act. The existing condition of the island and the proposed IWMC was assessed for this report. Assessments conducted include groundwater quality assessments, and terrestrial assessments. Baseline noise levels were also recorded at the site. The assessment shows that during construction stage of IWMC, main impacts will be increased noise level, air quality degradation, loss terrestrial flora and fauna. The proposed location is a vegetated area where already most of the vegetation has been cleared. However, prior to construction few of the pioneer species will need to be cleared. Other impacts during construction stage possible contamination of groundwater and soil due to leakage of chemical and oil. During operational stage, the most significant impacts on the groundwater, greenhouse gas emission and on biodiversity. If the IWMC is poorly constructed including composting pit, likelihood leachate leaking into the ground is high and this may have irreversible impacts on groundwater quality. During operational stage, the IWMC may be receiving waste that cannot be managed at the site if unsupervised, this may result in open burning waste that result in the emission of toxic gases and chemicals which will degrade the air quality and cause GHG emission. Accumulation and mismanagement of waste also has the tendency to impact the biodiversity in the island whereby certain species are replaced by crows and rats, which will feed on waste stockpiles. The proposed is an aesthetically pleasing site and the visual amenity of the area will also be disrupted. Since the proposed site used to be a wetland, before it was reclaimed from waste, risk of flooding the area during swell tides or torrential rain is high. This may significantly impact the operation of the IWMC. Proper mitigation measures must be taken to reduce the risk of flooding. Overall this is an environmental improvement project.. Through composting and selling recyclable materials the project will also open up business opportunities for the island. In addition, irresponsible dumping and littering around the island may be stopped following the implementation of IWMC and waste management plan. The alternative options were evaluated for the no project option and alternative locations for IWMC. The “No Project” option is deemed infeasible, given the current condition of waste management and disposal in the island. Alternative locations for IWMC were also considered, however as there are no other apt locations in the island, it is proposed to go ahead with the proposed location, with stringent measures to mitigate flooding in the area. Monitoring plan is designed to assess any changes to the physical of the island, ground water quality as these are the key areas that will be impacted from this project. Monitoring costs is estimated at MVR 25,000 – 35,000 per annum. The management plan for this project is designed to produce a framework for anticipated impacts, including practicable and achievable performance requirements and systems for monitoring, reporting and implementing corrective actions. In addition provide evidence of compliance to legislation, policies, guidelines and requirements of relevant authorities. Stakeholder consultations were held with Maabaidhoo Island council, Maabaidhoo public, Laamu Atoll Council, Ministry of Environment and Energy, Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure and Environmental Protection Authority. Both Maabaidhoo Island Council and public are in favour of this project. In conclusion, this project has been designed in conformance to the relevant laws and regulations of Maldives. Operational stage impacts are mainly on climate change, groundwater contamination and on biodiversity. Overall, the project will have positive impacts to the island community under supervised and effective management of the IWMC. . The EIA recommends to go ahead with the project and to develop the IWMC and to follow the mitigation measures to avoid significant impacts. Stringent mitigation measures must be taken to reduce the risk of flooding at the proposed location. It is strongly recommended to develop and implement an environmental management plan to maximise the benefits of IWMC and ensure sustainability of operations.Item Third addendum to the environmental impact assessment for the proposed Hulhulé-Malé bridge project(2016-05) CDE ConsultingThe purpose of this document is to assess the potential environmental impacts and mitigation measures for the proposed changes to the Hulhulé-Malé Bridge project. This document is an addendum to the original Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) prepared for the Bridge project in November 2015. The proponent of this project is Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure. The addendum is prepared to address the need to use Gulhifalhu NE reef flat to temporarily store large steel structures (Steel Pipe Piles, and Steel Casings) of the bridge. The main rationale for selecting this lagoon is the short distance to the project site, availability of space, access to deep water and relatively calms sea conditions to safely store the structures. The pipes will be removed in 7-8 months. The main reason why the piles have to be stored is due to the difficulties in holding a chartered barge for a 7 month period to store the pipes. The study area of this project considers the proposed storage site in Gulhifalhu Lagoon and surrounding areas that are likely to be affected by the proposed changes. The site has been affected by past reclamation activities and human activities. The site is also earmarked for future reclamation. The proposed developments are generally in conformance to the laws and regulations of the Maldives. The key impacts from the proposed changes are on the marine water quality, marine biodiversity within the pipeline footprint, and health and safety risks to workers. A number of mitigation measures are proposed for the most significant impacts from the project. These include ensuring only licensed, well-qualified and experienced personnel operate vessels and machineries; undertaking unloading and loading works in calm sea conditions; ensuring strict health and safety measures are followed at site; and to place the pipe fully and perpendicular to the reef flat. Alternative site was assessed to store the steel structures, at Thilafushi Reef Flat, Hulhumale Reef flat and Hulhule reef. The Hulhumale’ site is not suitable due to flight path restrictions and proximity to resorts. Hulhule site does not have enough space and there is too much marine activity in the area. Thilafushi site is suitable but when compared to Gulhifalhu site the distance to bridge site is longer and is more exposed to SW monsoon conditions. All sites have similar environmental impacts. Thus, the proposed Gulhifalhu site was preferred. Gulhifalhu Investment Limited (GIL) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) were they key stakeholders consulted for this addendum. The key recommendations from GIL were to take all practical measures to avoid and minimize damage to the reef, and to ensure that the pipes do not block the entrance channel to Gulhifalhu located on the eastern side of the reef. The main recommendations by EPA were to plan all works according to approved EIA and addendums. If any additional components are required to properly follow the EIA procedure. All works conducted outside the scope of the approved EIA reports must be presented as an audit in this addendum. EPA also recommended assessment of Hulhulé site as an alternative for storage of the proposed steel structures. This report is prepared in accordance to the technical guidelines and EIA regulations, prepared by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the terms of reference issued by the EPA for this EIA addendum.Item Environment impact assessment for the proposed construction of island waste management centre at Kunahandhoo, Laamu Atoll(2017-10) CDE ConsultingThe purpose of this document is to fulfil the requirements to get necessary environmental clearance from the Environmental Protection Agency to construct the Waste Management Centre (IWMC) in Kunahandhoo, Laamu Atoll. The proponent of this project is United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The main rationale for the project is to establish a sustainable waste management system in the island so that the waste is disposed and managed properly. The project is intended at constructing an island level waste management centre, with a compost ground and machineries and equipments to collect and to manage the waste. This project forms part of Low Emission and Climate Resilient Development (LECReD), a United Nations joint programme which seeks to mainstream LECReD issues into local development planning and service delivery for greater community-level ownership and sustainability of programme benefits. The proposed project involves the construction of the waste management centre. The IWMC will have a compost pit, waste segregation lots, equipment room, toilet, rainwater tank. This will be implemented as part of this project. The proposed IWMC will measure 84ft by 89ft. The proposed centre will be developed to manage the waste generated in the island and to ensure proper and sustainable disposal of waste. The waste management centre will also composting tools, compacting machineries to manage the waste. A truck of 1.5 tonnes and bins will be provided for waste collection. The duration of the construction of IWMC will take approximately 3 months. Once constructed, it will be handed over to the council for operation. At present, there is no designated site waste disposal. The island community disposes waste at different locations of the island and the waste is not segregated. All project activities will be in conformance to the laws and regulations of the Maldives, and relevant international conventions that Maldives is party to. The key laws and regulations applicable to this project are: Environmental Protection and Preservation Act, Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation 2012 and Waste Management Regulations and Maldivian Land Act and Decentralisation Act. The existing condition of the island and the proposed IWMC was assessed for this report. Assessments conducted include groundwater quality assessments, and terrestrial assessments. Baseline noise levels were also recorded at the site. The assessment shows that during construction stage of the IWMC, main impacts will be increased noise level, air quality degradation and loss terrestrial flora and fauna. The proposed location is a vegetated area where already most of the vegetation has been cleared. However, prior to construction few of the pioneer species will need to be cleared. Other impacts during construction stage possible contamination of groundwater and soil due to leakage of chemical and oil. During operational stage, the most significant impacts on the groundwater, greenhouse gas emission and on biodiversity. If the IWMC is poorly constructed including composting pit, likelihood leachate leaking into the ground is high and this may have irreversible impacts on groundwater quality, especially given the island has low groundwater lens is prone to flooding. The IWMC may be receiving waste that cannot be managed at the site if unsupervised, this may result in open burning waste that result in the emission of toxic gases and chemicals which will degrade the air quality and cause GHG emission. Accumulation and mismanagement of waste also has the tendency to impact the biodiversity in the island whereby certain species are replaced by crows and rats, which will feed on waste stockpiles. The visual amenity of the area will also be disrupted. However, through composting and selling recyclable materials the project will also open up business opportunities for the island. In addition, irresponsible dumping and littering around the island may be stopped following the implementation of IWMC and waste management plan. Overall this is an environmental improvement project. The alternative options were evaluated for the no project option and alternative locations for IWMC. The “No Project” option is deemed infeasible, given the current condition of waste management and disposal in the island. Alternative locations for IWMC were also considered, however as there are no other apt locations in the island, it is proposed to go ahead with the proposed location, since the IWMC will be built with 1ft elevated as a mitigation measure. Monitoring plan is designed to assess any changes to the physical of the island, ground water quality as these are the key areas that will be impacted from this project. Monitoring costs is estimated at MVR 25,000 – 35,000 per annum. The management plan for this project is designed to produce a framework for anticipated impacts, including practicable and achievable performance requirements and systems for monitoring, reporting and implementing corrective actions. In addition provide evidence of compliance to legislation, policies, guidelines and requirements of relevant authorities. Stakeholder consultations were held with Kunahandhoo Island council, Kunahandhoo public, Laamu Atoll Council, Ministry of Environment and Energy, Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure and Environmental Protection Authority. Both Kunahandhoo Island Council and public are in favour of this project, although the newly elected council not fully acquainted with the project. In conclusion, this project has been designed in conformance to the relevant laws and regulations of Maldives. Operational stage impacts are mainly on climate change, groundwater contamination and on biodiversity. Overall, the project will have positive impacts to the island community under supervised and effective management of the IWMC. . The EIA recommends to go ahead with the project and to develop the IWMC and to follow the mitigation measures to avoid significant impacts. It is strongly recommended to develop and implement and environmental management plan to maximise the benefits of IWMC and ensure sustainability of operations.Item Environment impact assessment for the proposed construction of island waste management centre at Dhanbidhoo, Laamu Atoll(2017-10) CDE ConsultingThe purpose of this document is to fulfil the requirements to get necessary environmental clearance from the Environmental Protection Agency to construct the Waste Management Centre (IWMC) in Dhanbidhoo, Laamu Atoll. The proponent of this project is United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The main rationale for the project is to establish a sustainable waste management system in the island so that the waste is disposed and managed properly. The project is intended at constructing an island level waste management centre, with a compost ground and machineries and equipments to collect and to manage the waste. This project forms part of Low Emission and Climate Resilient Development (LECReD), a United Nations joint programme which seeks to mainstream LECReD issues into local development planning and service delivery for greater community-level ownership and sustainability of programme benefits. The proposed project involves the construction of the waste management centre. The IWMC will have a compost pit, waste segregation lots, equipment room, toilet, rainwater tank. This will be implemented as part of this project. The proposed IWMC will measure 98ft by 98ft and it will be developed on the southern tip of the island. The proposed centre will be developed to manage the waste generated in the island and to ensure proper and sustainable disposal of waste. The waste management centre will also composting tools, compacting machineries to manage the waste. A truck of 2 tonnes and bins will be provided for waste collection. The duration of the construction of IWMC will take approximately 3 months. Once constructed, it will be handed over to the council for operation. The location, which has been approved, by EPA and MLSA is approximately 1km from the residential and requires the development of an access road. This will incur additional cost and the distance also makes it impractical to transfer waste on a daily basis. At present, there is no designated site waste disposal. The island community disposes waste at two different locations of the island and the waste is not segregated. All project activities will be in conformance to the laws and regulations of the Maldives, and relevant international conventions that Maldives is party to. The key laws and regulations applicable to this project are: Environmental Protection and Preservation Act, Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation 2012 and Waste Management Regulations and Maldivian Land Act and Decentralisation Act. The existing condition of the island and the proposed IWMC was assessed for this report. Assessments conducted include groundwater quality assessments, air quality and terrestrial assessments. Baseline noise levels were also recorded at the site. The assessment shows that during construction stage of the IWMC, main impacts will be increased noise level, air quality degradation and loss terrestrial flora and fauna. The proposed location is a vegetated area where already some of the vegetation has been cleared. However, if the allocated site is chosen for the construction of IWMC, an access road will need to be developed which will require more vegetation to be cleared including palm trees. Other impacts during construction stage possible contamination of groundwater and soil due to leakage of chemical and oil. During operational stage, the most significant impacts on the groundwater, greenhouse gas emission and on biodiversity. If the IWMC is poorly constructed including composting pit, likelihood leachate leaking into the ground is high and this may have irreversible impacts on groundwater quality. The IWMC may be receiving waste that cannot be managed at the site if unsupervised, this may result in open burning waste that result in the emission of toxic gases and chemicals which will degrade the air quality and cause GHG emission. Further to this, distance to the IWMC from the residential zone means a longer commute route which will further contribute to GHG emission from transportation. Accumulation and mismanagement of waste also has the tendency to impact the biodiversity in the island whereby certain species are replaced by crows and rats, which will feed on waste stockpiles. The visual amenity of the area will also be disrupted and given that the nearest island in the vicinity will be developed to a resort this poses major issues in the long term. However, through composting and selling recyclable materials the project will also open up business opportunities for the island. In addition, irresponsible dumping and littering around the island may be stopped following the implementation of IWMC and waste management plan. The alternative options were evaluated for the no project option and alternative locations for IWMC. The “No Project” option is deemed infeasible, given the current condition of waste management and disposal in the island. Given the unfeasibility of the proposed site for IWMC due to the long distance for transportation from the residential zone and from the harbour, alternative locations for the IWMC explored. It is recommended that any other location within 200ft from either the northern or southern direction from the residential zone is feasible or building IWMC. This provides a feasible transportation distance from the collection entities also to the harbour where the recyclable materials can be easily traded. Monitoring plan is designed to assess any changes to the physical of the island, ground water quality as these are the key areas that will be impacted from this project. Monitoring costs is estimated at MVR 25,000 – 35,000 per annum. The management plan for this project is designed to produce a framework for anticipated impacts, including practicable and achievable performance requirements and systems for monitoring, reporting and implementing corrective actions. In addition provide evidence of compliance to legislation, policies, guidelines and requirements of relevant authorities. Stakeholder consultations were held with Dhanbidhoo Island council, Dhanbidhoo public, Laamu Atoll Council, Ministry of Environment and Energy, Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure and Environmental Protection Authority. Both Dhanbidhoo Island Council and public are in favour of this project, although the newly elected council not fully acquainted with the project. In conclusion, this project has been designed in conformance to the relevant laws and regulations of Maldives. Operational stage impacts are mainly on climate change, groundwater contamination and on biodiversity. Since the proposed location for the IWMC is not practical in terms of transportation of waste and the need to develop an access road which will incur additional cost, it is recommended to consider alternative locations for the IWMC. Overall, the project will have positive impacts to the island community under supervised and effective management of the IWMC. . The EIA recommends to go ahead with the project and to develop the IWMC at a site that will not cause major loss of biodiversity or cause GHG emissions. It is strongly recommended to develop and implement and environmental management plan to maximise the benefits of IWMC and ensure sustainability of operations.Item Environment impact assessment for the proposed international airport development project in Maafaru Island, Noonu Atoll(2017-11) CDE ConsultingThe purpose of this document is to fulfil the requirements to get necessary environmental clearance from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to carry out the proposed international airport development project on Maafaru Island, Noonu Atoll. The proponent of the project is Regional Airports, Ministry of Tourism, Maldives. Maafaru Island is one of the largest inhabited islands in Noonu Atoll and the airport is being built on the uninhabited southern half of the island. Main rationale of the proposed project is to facilitate the overall development of the region and to cater to the tourist resort transfers to Noonu Atoll. The aim of the airport project is to provide more convenient, safer and faster transportation to Noonu atoll region and boost the socioeconomic development of the region through enhancement of tourism, commerce and trade. Maafaru Island has been leased to separate developers on three occasions. Each of these developers had developed airport master plans and two of them had approved EIAs. The third EIA was being prepared, before developer changed again. Regional Airports have now decided to develop the airport themselves with assistance from Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD). The project has two main components: (i) site preparation and; (ii) airport construction. Site preparation involves land reclamation, channel dredging, sea grass removal in front of arrival areas, vegetation removal and backfilling. Airport construction involves building a 2200 m runway with all ancillary services, VIP facilities and a transit hotel. The proposed site has been modified due to human activities. The island and its reef system represents a typical inhabited island with modified vegetation for forestry, contaminated groundwater and moderately good reef system. The proposed site has been partially cleared under the original area but 80% of the vegetation is still intact. There is a sand bed on the western side created by the first developers during mobilization. Maafaru Island’s vegetation system is extensive. There are five marshland areas on the island, three of which will be backfilled under this project. One of the marshland areas contains limited mangrove vegetation. The central marshland area has recently connected to open lagoon, allowing juvenile marine life to thrive. The site may be considered a breeding site but no concrete evidence was found in this evaluation to classify the site as a permanent breeding site. The mangrove vegetation area is very small and contain about 10-15 medium to large trees, but 85% of these trees will have to be removed. The island topography is varied and will require extensive backfilling to level the site. The deep lagoon contains some good live coral colonies. The proposed dredging footprint does not contain any live coral colonies but contains an extensive seagrass bed. The island is undergoing erosion on the northern and eastern side but the proposed airport site is generally stable. Significant impacts are expected to arise mainly during the construction phase of the project. These impacts include significant loss of terrestrial biodiversity. Of particular concern is the removal of over 20,000 medium-to-large trees and about 50,000 small trees, removal of mangrove vegetation, and backfilling a recently active marshland with juvenile life. Impacts will also be felt on marine biodiversity due to dredging and reclamation due to associated direct removal, turbidity and sedimentation; potential contamination of marine and ground water and soil due to accidental spillage/leakage of construction materials and waste; increased turbidity and sedimentation of the water column due to coastal activities; changes to coastal hydrodynamics; salinization of ground water due to use of dredged sand for backfilling and risks to the health of construction workers. Major potential impacts from the operations phase include air, water and soil pollution due to emissions from island operations such as power generation, water production and flight operations; noise impacts on the settlement; bird collisions; potential fuel leaks into soil and ground water; impacts from waste accumulation and alteration of faunal species behaviour. Mitigation measures have been proposed to minimise anticipated impacts. These include transplanting trees to recently reclaimed lagoons in Male’ Atoll, bunding dredging and reclamation works to minimise sedimentation and turbidity in the lagoon, reducing salinization and preventing contamination of ground water, relocate or replant mangrove vegetation, reduce social discontent, control coastal erosion and focus on safety of workers and passengers. All mangrove plants need to be relocated to the southernmost wetland or to the nearest point where they can be grown. The trees may not survive and a mangrove planting programme needs to be conducted on the southernmost wetland. Alternative options have been evaluated for the most significant impacts. Among these alternative locations for the proposed airport were considered, including Manadhoo, Dhigurah and Medhufaru. Among these, only Medhufaru has the space to build a 1800 m runway but it has a number of pristine marshlands which may involve higher impacts than Maafaru. Alternative layouts for the airport were also considered but all other options involve significant reclamation, which subsequently will involve high marine environmental impacts. Alternative borrow areas were evaluated, including an option not to dredge the lagoon. It involved excavating the foot print of vegetation removal area and using the material to level the low lying areas. However, since dredging is required, the reuse of dredge waste for reclamation was preferred. Alternatives were also evaluated for shore protection design and material, and dredging technologies. Alternative designs have been recommended for reclaimed areas due to high coastal impacts from current design. Consultations were carried out with members of Noonu Maafaru Island Council. Island community of Maafaru, Noonu Atoll Council, Maldives Civil Aviation Authority, Regional Airports - Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure, and Ministry of Environment and Energy. There is overwhelming support from the community and the Island Council of Maafaru. Key concern raised by the Ministry of Environment and Energy was the loss of coconut forest, and recommended measures to take to mitigate this loss. Maldives Civil Aviation Authority officials pointed out potential aviation hazards resulting from the presence of the islands waste dump in the flight approach path, and advised to relocate this dumpsite. The Environmental Management Plan (EMP) for this project is designed to produce a framework for anticipated impacts, including practicable and achievable performance requirements and systems for monitoring, reporting and implementing corrective actions. In addition, it will also provide evidence of compliance to legislation, policies, guidelines and requirements of relevant authorities. Monitoring plan is designed to assess any changes to the physical environment as well as operational aspects of the airport. Environmental monitoring cost of pre-construction stage (if required) is approximately MVR 167,500. Monthly environmental monitoring cost during the construction phase ranges between MVR 100,500 to MVR 150,000. The estimated annual environmental monitoring cost during operation is MVR 127,000. All project designs are in conformance to most of the laws and regulations of the Maldives, and relevant international conventions that Maldives is party to. The key laws and regulations applicable to this project are: Environmental Protection and Preservation Act, Decentralization Act, Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation 2012, Waste Management Regulation, Regulation on Cutting Down and Uprooting Trees, Dredging and Reclamation Regulation, and Dewatering Regulation. There are a number of permits to be obtained for the operation of aerodrome. The project at present is non-compliant to some of the clauses in Regulation on Cutting Down and Uprooting Trees, and Dredging and Reclamation Regulation. The removal of mangrove and coastal vegetation poses a challenge to meet the requirements of the Regulation on Cutting Down and Uprooting Trees and, the requirement for seagrass removal within 50 m of the shoreline make it difficult to remove all seagrass areas identified. Project will require special consideration and approval from EPA on grounds of high socio-economic benefits. EPA has the authority to provide approval in exceptional circumstances. Public has raised questions about why the runway is being located on the island, when there is potential to reclaim land from the lagoon and build the airport, as has been done in other islands. The proponents view on the matter is, that, it is cheaper to build the airport on land and therefore is more likely that the project will get implemented. This issue is explored in the alternatives section. From an environmental perspective, reclamation itself has irreversible damage to the marine life but when compared with significant loss of vegetation, forestry resources, wetland environments and future land for Maafaru Island development, land reclamation with proper mitigation may involve lower long-term impacts than building on the island. Nonetheless, the project’s implementation is dependent on financial viability and the Government has taken the decision based on this aspect. The loss of wetland and large quantities of coconut palms is an irreversible damage from this project. Measures have been proposed soften this impact as described above but residual impacts will remain from the loss of trees. The developer will need to undertake replanting, with 2 trees for every tree permanently lost as a guideline. The scale of the impacts on the wetland is not irreversible at a regional or atoll level. The loss of the mangrove vegetation is insignificant compared to the mangrove vegetation that exists in Noonu Atoll. The number of wetlands in the near vicinity of Maafaru is also quite substantial and will allow for the migratory birds to relocate. The establishment of marshland on Maafaru as a habitat for juveniles is a very recent development and it does not appear that the marine species are using it as a permanent breeding site. The site is also not listed as a sensitive environment owing to the limited presence of sensitive ecosystems. The main conclusion of this report is to move forward with the proposed development on grounds of high socio-economic benefits. Environmental and socio-economic risks associated with the project are expected to be significantly reduced if the mitigation measures and monitoring programme presented in the report are properly implemented within the framework of the environmental management plan.Item Environment impact assessment for the proposed cold storage facility development project at Koo’ddoo Island, Gaafu Alifu Atoll(2017-11) CDE ConsultingThe purpose of this document is to fulfil the requirements to get necessary environmental clearance from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to carry out the proposed cold storage facility in Koo’ddoo Island, Gaafu Alifu Atoll. The proponent of the project is Mr. Mohamed Ali Janah. Koo’ddoo Island houses an airport, Koo’ddoo Fish Processing Plant and a transit hotel. The project is proposed on an uninhabited 6 Ha piece of land on the SE corner of the island. The site has been leased to the proponent for 21 years under an agreement with the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture (MoFA). The project proposes to develop and operate a cold storage facility on the site. The objective of this project is to import food perishable food in bulk, store them in cold storage rooms or units and distribute to the region. The primary clients are expected to be the resort islands in GA Atoll where the proponent has an investment stake. The client base will be expanded to local inhabited islands and other resorts based on demand. The project design will include modular storage systems which will be expanded based on demand and a transport system to deliver the goods directly to islands. The infrastructure proposed on the island include buildings to house cold storage room or units, own utility infrastructure, support service facilities, accommodation, recreation and a harbour for loading and unloading. The project also anticipates undertaking small scale farming, medicinal plant farming and supporting local medicine activities. These are all additional services undertaken at a small scale. The project aim of improving food security and availability is in line with the ruling party manifesto and government policies. Project activities will be in conformance to the laws and regulations of the Maldives, and relevant international conventions that Maldives is party to. The key laws and regulations applicable to this project are: Environmental Protection and Preservation Act, Employment Act (2/2008), Immigration Act (1/2007), Land Act, Public Health Act, Civil Aviation Act, Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation 2012, Dredging and Reclamation Regulation, Waste Management Regulation 2013, and the Environmental Liability Regulation. The project parameters cannot adhere to the dredging reclamation regulation as is states that no dredging shall be undertaken within 50 m of the vegetation line or 500 m from the ocean side reef edge. The harbour proposed in this project is located within both these restricted zones. For projects of economic or social importance, the regulations allow for exceptions to be made. Therefore, discussions must be held between the proponent and the EPA before the commencement of the project in order to resolve this issue. The assessment shows that the proposed developments result in significant positive socioeconomic benefits during the operational phase. Most important is the availability of food in the atoll at a lower cost and in higher quantities. However, both the construction phase and the operational phase of the development result in negative impacts on the marine and coastal environment. The main construction impacts results from the harbour project and vegetation clearing. The main impacts from marine works are on sediment movement patterns around the island, marine biodiversity due to sedimentation and turbidity and potential marine and groundwater contamination. Impacts during facility construction, impacts are limited to vegetation clearing, potential ground water contamination, negative effects of improper vegetation disposal and health and safety. Main operation stage impacts include waste management difficulties if a product batch goes bad or expires, potential fuel leakage into groundwater, ground water impacts from pesticide and fertilizer use and marine impacts related to sewage outfall. The proposed channel is unlikely to be useable throughout the year due to rough wave conditions. Safety concerns exist if boats try to access the site during rough conditions. Boat movement across the aircraft approach path close to the Runway End Safety Area is also identified as a concern. Key mitigation measures for the construction stage include finding options to minimise turbidity and sedimentation through the use of sediment control measures especially during the dredging and reclamation works, carrying out project activities only in the allocated areas, and ensuring that activities are a carried out in as short a time period as possible to allow normal conditions to re-establish in the area. The construction staff should also be properly educated on the sensitivity of the reef system and measures which can be taken to minimise impacts on the marine environment. Vegetation removed is to be replanted around the transit hotel area, project site and if require, on other areas of the airport. Given that the proponent at present has stakes in these two investments, it is practical to implement this plan. A good communication system between boats, proposed site office and Air Traffic Control tower has been recommended to minimise safety issues related to air and sea transport near the harbour entrance. A composting machine has been proposed by the developer to manage potential issues resulting from food waste. Alternatives were evaluated for the project. This assessment found that the proposed original master plan had a number of issues including wrong locations for island access, missing land use items and lack of island access options. These issues were recommended to be corrected and were presented as an alternative master plan. The developer is in agreement with these changes and has already submitted a revised plan to MoFA and is pending approval. This EIA has evaluated the recommended alternative Consultations were held with Environment Protection Agency (EPA), Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA), Health Protection Agency (HPA), Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The results revealed a number of aspects which need to be incorporated into the design and construction plan. They include: a. The first task of construction should include construction of fence to delineate the project site before construction personnel can be deployed for general construction. b. Using air-side access to the project site to transport goods on public vehicles is not recommended and the alternative plan of accessing via the new harbour should be enforce. The air-side can still be used for emergency access and if required, personnel access. c. Airport will require developing an access control system and an access road to facilitate the above process. d. Crossing the runway with goods and public vehicles are not recommended from a safety perspective e. A mechanism to communicate between the tower and the project site needs to be established to deal with unforeseen safety issues. The Environmental Management Plan (EMP) for this project is designed to produce a framework for anticipated impacts, including practicable and achievable performance requirements and systems for monitoring, reporting and implementing corrective actions. In addition, it will also provide evidence of compliance to legislation, policies, guidelines and requirements of relevant authorities. Monitoring plan is designed to assess any changes to the physical environment as well as operational aspects of the development. The programme may cost about RF 40,000 per year. Overall the project has significant beneficial socio-economic impacts on Huvadhoo Atoll, and if successful, promises to become an important logistical hub for food distribution in the Atoll.Item Environment impact assessment for the proposed harbour re-development project at Mahibadhoo Island, Alif Dhaalu Atoll(2017-11) CDE ConsultingThis document is submitted to the Environment Protection Agency, by the proponent to fulfil the requirement of an EIA under the Environmental Protection and Preservation Act (EPPA) of the Maldives (4/93). This report provides the background to the proposed project components as well as an assessment of their likely environmental and social impacts, both beneficial and adverse. The proposed enhancement and mitigation measures are outlined where necessary together with an environment management plan and a monitoring programme. This project was initiated by the Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure with the aim of providing an adequate and safe harbouring and beaching area for the locals of Mahibadhoo island while providing coastal protection for the immediate surroundings. The present harbour is unable to facilitate the growing size of vessels using the harbour, particularly the increased number of small vessels on the island. Similarly, the make-shift beaching area (boat yard area) which the locals are currently using does not have the proper facilities to service the island’s fleet. The scope of this project comprises of the following activities: 1. Maintenance dredging at the entrance channel and basin 2. Expanding the existing north harbour basin 3. Re-constructing quay wall, revetment and breakwater 4. Paving around quay wall landing areas 5. Installing road lights and navigation lights around harbour 6. Constructing beaching area 7. Backfilling and reclamation This EIA has found that the proposed backfill volume required do not match the available dredged material. Hence, an alternative site plan has been proposed whereby reclamation activities are restricted to backfilling purposes only and the required sand volume within the available limits. Project activities will be in conformance to the laws and regulations of the Maldives, and relevant international conventions that Maldives is party to. The key laws and regulations applicable to this project are: Environmental Protection and Preservation Act, Employment Act (2/2008), Immigration Act (1/2007), Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation 2012, Dredging and Reclamation Regulation, Waste Management Regulation 2013, and the Environmental Liability Regulation. The project parameters cannot adhere to the dredging reclamation regulation as is states that no dredging shall be undertaken within 50 m of the vegetation line or 500 m from the ocean side reef edge. The harbour proposed in this project is located within both these restricted zones. For projects of economic or social importance, the regulations allow for exceptions to be made. Therefore, discussions must be held between the proponent and the EPA before the commencement of the project in order to resolve this issue. The assessment shows that the proposed developments result in significant positive socioeconomic benefits during the operational phase. However, both the construction phase and the operational phase of the development result in negative impacts on the marine and coastal environment. The main impacts from the project are on sediment movement patterns around the island, marine biodiversity due to sedimentation and turbidity related to the construction activities, potential marine and groundwater contamination, and noise pollution. While the construction of the quay wall and shore protection measures will prevent erosion around the harbour basin thereby facilitating better usage of the harbour, there will be residual impacts around the project site in the medium term as the island works towards obtaining equilibrium with the new shore protection measures. It is unlikely that the construction stage of this project will result in significant damage to live coral colonies due to the enclosed nature of the harbour basin and limited live coral cover within vicinity of the project site. Key mitigation measures for the construction stage include finding options to minimise turbidity and sedimentation through the use of sediment control measures especially during the dredging and reclamation works, carrying out project activities only in the allocated areas, and ensuring that activities are a carried out in as short a time period as possible to allow normal conditions to re-establish in the area. The construction staff should also be properly educated on the sensitivity of the reef system and measures which can be taken to minimise impacts on the marine environment. Operational stage impacts are mainly related to changes in the coastal hydrodynamics arising from the coastal modifications of the proposed harbour. It is not possible to accurately predict erosion accretion patterns without high level modelling. Therefore, appropriate mitigation measures and actions will be decided after monitoring the changes. Consequently, environmental monitoring is crucial, particularly changes to hydrodynamics, shoreline, and water quality. The management plan for this project is designed to produce a framework for anticipated impacts, including practicable and achievable performance requirements and systems for monitoring, reporting and implementing corrective actions. In addition provide evidence of compliance to legislation, policies, guidelines and requirements of relevant authorities. The main conclusion of this report is to move forward with the proposed development with the suggested mitigation measures.Item Environment impact assessment for the proposed provision of sewerage network at Gemanafushi, Gaafu Alifu Atoll(2017-11) CDE ConsultingThis document is submitted by the proponent to Environmental Protection Agency to fulfil the requirements for an EIA under Environmental Protection and Preservation Act. The EIA Regulations 2012 has been used as the basis for preparing this document. The proponent of this project is Ministry of Environment and Energy, the sewerage network was designed by Malé Water and Sewerage Company, and EIA was undertaken by consultants from CDE Consulting. At present, sewage disposal for most households is by collection in septic tanks, which are laborious to maintain, and susceptible to leakage if poorly maintained. The main rationale for replacing the existing sewage disposal system with a conventional sewerage network is to improve the sanitation facilities and health of the island community. The proposed project covers five main components: installation of the sewerage network, collection pump stations, sewerage outfall, house connections, and construction of an Administrative Building. The project is estimated to take about 36 to 40 months to complete. All project designs are in conformance to the laws and regulations of the Maldives, and relevant international conventions that Maldives is party to. The key laws and regulations applicable to this project are: Environmental Protection and Preservation Act, Decentralization Act, Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation 2012, Waste Management Regulation, Regulation on Dredging and Reclamation, Regulation on Cutting Down and Uprooting Trees and Dewatering Regulation. Decision Statement for this EIA report, Dewatering permit, and Domestic Wastewater Disposal Consent should be obtained from the EPA prior to commencement of the project. Gemanafushi Island is situated on a large reef system that forms part of the eastern rim of Gaafu Alif atoll. The island measures roughly 55 ha; census conducted in 2014 reports a population of 1223 people. The island is surrounded by a rich dynamic reef system, the shallow lagoon around the island forms a thick seagrass bed, and terminates to a healthy reef slope on the ocean side which is frequented by a variety of shark species, and diverse range of fish species. The north eastern corner of the reef system is listed an Environmentally Sensitive Area by the EPA, for this reason. Most of the negative impacts from this project are typical impacts associated with sewerage network and building construction in Maldives. The most significant impact from this project during the construction phase would be potential contamination of islands groundwater lens, marine water, and disturbance and loss of marine flora and fauna. The project is expected to have positive impact on overall quality of islands groundwater, health of the island community, and sanitation system of the island. Of particular concern is the proximity of the proposed sewage disposal site to Maahera located on the north eastern corner of the Gemanafushi reef. This dive site is popular with tourists due to sightings of Hammerhead sharks and numerous other marine species. Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has designated this site as an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA). Alternative options for disposal sites were evaluated in this EIA. The key mitigation measures proposed during the construction stage focuses on reducing the most significant environmental impacts. These include measures to prevent accidental spillage, and spill clean-ups, discharge of any groundwater extracted back to the islands aquifer. Relocation of vegetation, and live corals within the footprint of sewage outfall pipeline. Alternative options were evaluated for the activities that are identified to have significant impact on the environment. The main concern identified as stated earlier is the proximity of the proposed sewage disposal point to Maahera ESA. Two alternative locations were evaluated, in addition no project option was also compared against the proposed sewerage network. Stakeholder consultations were held with Gemanafushi Island Council, FENAKA (local branch), and Ampus (local cable service provider). The key concern by Gemanafushi council was whether two pump stations would be sufficient, especially as they plan to develop a tourism zone on the southern end of the island. FENAKA stated based on their experience at GA Villingili, two pump stations may not be sufficient to handle sewage, once tourism zone is developed. Ampus requested to setup a grievance mechanism in case any damages to the islands existing cable lines. The following actions needs to be carried out by the proponent prior to the implementation of the project; proponent to present details of the proposed sewerage system to the island council, and FENAKA, and setup a grievance mechanism prior to initiation of the project. Monitoring plan is designed to assess any changes to the physical environment during construction and operation phase of the project. Estimated environmental monitoring cost of preconstruction stage (if required) is about MVR 112,000. Estimated monthly environmental monitoring cost for construction phase is approximately MVR 90,000. Estimated annual environmental monitoring cost during operation phase is about MVR 125,000. The management plan for this project is designed to produce a framework for anticipated impacts, including practicable and achievable performance requirements and systems for monitoring, reporting and implementing corrective actions. In addition provide evidence of compliance to legislation, policies, guidelines and requirements of relevant authorities. The main conclusion of this report is to move forward with the proposed development with the suggested mitigation measures, and alternatives.Item Environment impact assessment for the proposed harbour quay wall construction at Maakurathu, Raa Atoll, Maldives(2017-12) CDE ConsultingThis document is submitted to the Environment Protection Agency, by the proponent to fulfil the requirement of an EIA under the Environmental Protection and Preservation Act (EPPA) of the Maldives (4/93). The EIA Regulations 2012 has been used as a basis for preparing this document. This report provides the background to the proposed project components as well as an assessment of their likely environmental and social impacts, both beneficial and adverse. The proposed enhancement and mitigation measures are outlined where necessary, together with an environment management plan and a monitoring programme. This project was initiated by the Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure with the aim of upgrading and increasing the usability of the existing harbour at R. Maakurathu. The project involves deepening some shallow areas within harbour basins and constructing a quay wall on the western side of the basin. The western side has been left as a beaching area with no quaywall during original harbor construction project. The estimated time for project completion is nine months. Project activities will be in conformance to the laws and regulations of the Maldives, and relevant international conventions that Maldives is party to. The key laws and regulations applicable to this project are: Environmental Protection and Preservation Act (4/93), Employment Act (2/2008), Immigration Act (1/2007), Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation 2012, Dredging and Land Reclamation Regulation, Waste Management Regulation 2013, and the Environmental Liability Regulation (Regulation 2011/R-9). Decision Statement for this EIA report and a Dredging and Reclamation Permit need to be obtained from the EPA prior to commencement of the project. The assessment shows that the proposed developments results in significant positive socioeconomic benefits during the operational phase. However, both the construction phase and the operational phase of the development result in negative impacts on environment. The main impacts from the project are potential impact on marine water quality and biodiversity from increased turbidity, and suspended solids generated from dredging works. In addition, as the public and Island Council expects expansion of the harbour, conducting the project without dialog with these key stakeholders may result in strong opposition to the project. Key mitigation measures for the project include finding options to minimise turbidity and sedimentation by carrying out dredging activities only in the allocated areas, during calm sea conditions preferably when the tide is low. The construction staff should also be properly educated on the sensitivity of the reef system and measures which can be taken to minimise impacts on the marine environment. Measures such as proper maintenance of vehicles and management of the site area can aid in minimising air as well as noise pollution. Contamination of the marine water, groundwater and land can also be limited by taking appropriate measures detailed in this report. Public consultations were carried out for the project with the island council and the public. The results show a difficult situation where the project proposed by MHI does not exactly match the expectations and demands of the community. The public and the Council indicates while they want the harbour upgrade project, they want to see the harbour expanded on the western side rather than construct the quaywall at the currently proposed position. They also complained that they were not consulted on the detailed design. MHI notes that the project has limited funds and therefore risks delaying the project if such major changes are to be accommodated. This issue needs to be resolved through dialogue between MHI, Council and the public prior to commencement of project. Alternative options were evaluated for the harbour layout and sand borrow area. The harbour layout favoured by the public included expanding the harbour to the west and constructing the quay wall. There is no design prepared for this. However, the proponent has stated that this is not practical within the funds available for the current project. The alternate sand borrow area is where vessel repairs are carried out and locals can benefit from dredging. However, this area is not recommended for this project due to concerns of erosion raised by public for other dredging activities around the island. The “no-project” option was also compared against the proposed project. A monitoring plan has been designed to assess any changes to the physical environment for the duration of the project. Estimated costs of monitoring of the preconstruction stage is approximately USD 5000 and USD 5500 for the construction stage. Monitoring costs for the operational stage is approximately USD 4700. The management plan for this project is designed to produce a framework for anticipated impacts, including practicable and achievable performance requirements and systems for monitoring, reporting and implementing corrective actions. In addition, provide evidence of compliance to legislation, policies, guidelines and requirements of relevant authorities. The main conclusion of this report is for MHI to discuss and agree on the outstanding issues relating to project scope with the Council and public, before continuing with the project. If there is an agreement this EIA recommends to move forward with the proposed development with the suggested mitigation measures, and alternatives.